The Japor Snippet
by darthluna01
Summary: They say that japor snippets bring good fortune. On the night of Anakin's dream, Padmé discovers its magic through a surreal phenomena: body-switching with her husband. AU.
1. The Nightmare

It was his first joyous night back home, back with his wife, standing cross-legged on the Coruscanti balcony, gazing at her affectionately as she brushed her hair in deep thought. He was lost in her curls, soft brown eyes, sweet pink smile and the beautiful curve of her belly, until she said in a distant tone, "Ani, I want to raise our baby back home on Naboo. We can go to the Lake country, where no one will know, where we can be safe."

She smiled, not only her mouth, but her eyes as well. They twinkled with whimsical desire and fond memories. "I can go early and prepare the baby's room."

Trying to reconnect with reality, and enjoying her reverie, Anakin replied, "You are so...beautiful."

She continued to brush her hair, saying, "It's only because I'm so in love."

It was getting to be a rather mushy running gag that they had fallen into, but it was an enjoyable separation from the grim reality. "No," Anakin chuckled, "It's because I'm so in love with you."

Padmé ceased brushing her hair and turned to him, suppressing a grin to swing the comb idly. "So love has blinded you?" she teased, releasing her laughter.

He shuffled his feet, abashed and sorry that she had won at their little game, yet grinning like the little boy from Tatooine again. "That's...not what I meant."

She nodded. "But it's probably true."

* * *

It was dark, very dark and very cold. It felt like...death. And suffering. Suffering, fear, and emotional turmoil were all he sensed in the barren wastes of an endless shadow. It was a nightmare, he thought. A nightmare he had been in before, but failed. Above the illusive barriers of shadow, he heard a cry rising.

The cry grew louder, and he recognized its origin - Padmé was in danger. Anakin reached out with the Force, searching for her frantically within the depths of that desolate nightmare land.

"Anakin, help me!" There, the wail broke through the shadow and he saw, or rather felt, the terror of her eyes. He tried to move towards her, comfort her, but he found himself immobilized and incapable of speech.

"Anakin, please!" She was screaming in pain and anguish. Her presence began to fade, her pleas echoing into the distance as another life was also screaming out in terror. _The baby._

Anakin's consciousness swirled back slowly as the screams faded, taunting him. He snapped out of bed and a thin sheen of sweat made its way up his body. He glanced quickly over his shoulder; Padmé' reassuring figure was still sleeping. It had been a dream. The Jedi ran his hand through his hair and climbed back into his boots and robe. It wasn't just a dream, but a premonition of what was to come. Of that, he was sure.

Padmé had just touched the shores of peaceful rest, when she heard the rustle of blankets beside her. Trying to ignore it, she stayed in place, not bothering to look over at her husband, who was probably just finding himself a more comfortable position. But no; she felt the heat of his presence gone and she turned. To her dismay, Anakin had left the bedroom. She knew then that something was wrong, and went to the sitting area to investigate, following the rustle of his robe.

He sat there with his robe open, chest bare and gazing out the window to the lights of Coruscant, searching for something far beyond their reaches. As she loped toward the couch, the surrounding lights began to brighten. Her husband's pained expression became increasingly visible as she neared, reflecting the oppressively morose atmosphere clouding the room.

"What's bothering you?" she asked quietly, treading softly to where he sat.

A small crease formed between his brow, another indication of his tormented thoughts. Anakin sighed, "Nothing." In an attempt to change the subject, he looked at the chain around her neck and said, "I remember when I gave that to you."

It was her turn to sigh. "How long is it going to take for us to be honest with each other?"

His blue eyes flickered here and there, searching for something she did not have an answer to. If only Padmé was Force-sensitive, maybe she would have been able to help him.

With a despairing, defeated look, he answered, "It was a dream."

Padmé released a breath she didn't know she'd been holding. "Bad?"

His lower lip trembled before he blinked at looked at the lights of Coruscant, turning his back to her. A single tear rolled down his cheek and fell onto his artificial hand. "You die in childbirth."

With an automatic mother-to-be response, she asked, "And the baby?"

Anakin shook his head and buried it in his hands. "I don't know." He inhaled sharply to prevent more tears, the echo of screams resounding in his ears. "I won't let this one come true. _I won't!_"

Shaken, she hugged him sympathetically while rubbing a soothing hand across his back. She felt a lot like a mother already. "It's just a dream, only a dream. I promise you, I won't leave, Ani. I love you."

No reply. They stood there, embracing each other until Anakin backed away. "I know. But I promise _you. _I won't let you go, Padmé. I'll do whatever it takes to save you."

It was a brave statement. Pafmé knew that it was both brave and stupid, and that she mustn't let him think that. Slowly, she took the chain of the japor snippet from her neck, and held it out for him to see. "A long time ago, you gave this to me as a symbol of our friendship, our love for each other. You said it would bring me good fortune. But the truth is, _you _brought me good fortune. Our life together may not be perfect, but it's nothing I could ever regret. Take it, and maybe it can work some more of its magic."

Reluctantly, he placed his hand on hers, tracing the contours of the stone. When he linked their fingers together, a tingling sensation shot up his arm. It was fiery, like a surge of electricity through the whole of his body. Apparently his wife had felt it too, because she yelped and dropped the chain. A hot white light surrounded them for the barest second, and then everything went blank.


	2. What in Kessel?

The bright light surrounded them like a thermal cloud, making their heads dizzy and as if their presence of mind had been separated from their bodies somehow. Nothing was visible in the dense whiteness but they felt as if they were floating. It was an odd sensation, like the kind of thing you could expect from taking spice.

For several moments the two were suspended like this, above everything. Then, as if being sucked through a vacuum, their settings instantly returned to normal. Or at least, they thought it had returned to normal.

Anakin blinked his eyes open to see that he was laying face up on the floor. But something about the scene was definitely wrong, he could _see_ it, plain as day. A large bump swelled over his midsection, covered in silky blue fabric. He abruptly sat up, which turned out to be a chore in it self. Since when had something as simple as a sit-up become a strenuous exercise? Maybe Obi-Wan was right, he should lay off the sweets and get more sleep.

A groan made him look to his side, where...no, this couldn't seriously be happening. He'd just had a horrible dream; maybe it was just a strange new after-effect he was experiencing. Yet the face that looked up to him, screamed, and then covered its mouth was most definitely...his own.

Anakin began to pat his figure in several places. First he looked at his hands, which were nicely manicured, smooth and pale. They were _not _his. Next, he grabbed his own butt and swirled around several times just to completely make sure._ That _was definitely not his. His rotund belly quite disturbed him, and he was starting to think that the entire scene wasn't part of another nightmare.

"Oh. My. Banthas," was all he could muster. The full idea beginning to hit him, his eyes darted to either side of the room. And then, to make it even more real-

"What in Mustafar is going on?" It was his body that he looked at, inhabited by...

"Padmé?"

"Anakin?"

Understandably, they screamed. They had switched bodies.

"If I'm in your body, and you're in my body...you're pregnant! But does that mean..."

"...No! I cannot _not _have access to the Force! Nooo!" His emotions took over, and instead of reacting like usual, the feminine traits took over. He (she, really) began to cry _very _hard.

However, Anakin's assumptions were proved incorrect. The emotional outburst he was suffering led one of the decorative vases to shatter. Padmé tried calming her husband down. She felt rather odd being in his body. All the parts were so much bigger, and she felt strangely clunky when merely moving her (hem, his) arms.

In a brief minute, Anakin was back to rights again. Padmé supposed being naturally Force-sensitive might lead to a greater reaction to the hormones and mood swings. Oh, this was definitely not going to be fun.

"How-_how _could this have happened?" she asked her husband.

Anakin thought for a moment, and just when she thought he had come up with a feasible, Jedi-ordinated answer, "I got nothing."

She groaned in frustration. "Maybe this isn't real. Maybe...no, this is definitely real. But I need to get back into my own body soon. I have obligations that can't be carried out as Anakin Skywalker! Besides, I don't want to be stuck as man!" Padmé was practically whining. But in Anakin's voice, it sounded only natural.

"Oh, yeah. And like I _really _want to be stuck in _your _body. As a _woman, _a very _pregnant _woman! No, I need my own body back. But how?" They pondered for several moments. Padmé backtracked through their encounter. First, she came into the sitting room. There was nothing abnormal about that. And then, what had happened just before they switched?

It hit her like a gaffi stick. "I have it! It was the japor snippet! When we touched it, all that bright light emanated from that very point and then we somehow switched bodies. Remember? I said it had to 'work its magic'?" She grinned in triumph.

"What? But-but...how does _that _work out? I picked that stone off Tatooine and carved it into a shape for you. Nothing else. No magic, no nothing, except my infatuation for an angel that flew into my life. Besides that, there was no magic."

Padmé frowned. "But you had the Force, right? I mean, I'm no Jedi -well, I suppose I am _now_," she laughed, "But what I'm saying is that maybe the Force had something to do with it. I mean, that's plausible, right?" She just couldn't keep the begging out of her voice.

"I've never heard of this happening before. Maybe it _does _have a slight chance of being caused by the Force, but what do I know?"

"What do _you _know? I thought you were the Jedi here! You know, raised from ten as a padawan at the Temple, getting philosophies and dictations ingrained into your brain? Remember the, "I'm ready for the trials, but Obi-Wan's holding me back" thing? And now you tell me _what do I know_?" She was practically hovering over him, fuming.

Anakin recoiled. "Okay, okay! I got it! But I still really don't think that it has anything to do with this japor snippet. It's got to be..." he trailed off.

"Yeah?"

Anakin (in his wife's body, of course) snapped his fingers in glee. "I know-let's go consult the Jedi Archives. Master Nu is always bragging about how resourceful and all-knowing they are, so let's prove that theory and find a solution!"

Padmé looked at him as if he was insane. "Are you serious? That means we have to go out in public! Like this!" She gestured at her head and body, suddenly realizing that her decidedly male chest was bare. Out of habit, she moved to cover herself with the robe.

Her husband raised an eyebrow and said, "Well we're obviously going to change clothes! Just act like me and you'll be fine. All I have to do is act diplomatic and no one will be the wiser."

She supposed it would have to do for now, being that between them, it was the best plan they could come up with. Padmé trudged toward the bedroom, looking for her clothes, when she realized after picking out a plain dress and shoes, that she would not be wearing them because they were clearly designated for females in a female closet. Instead, she would have to masquerade in Jedi robes for the time being until this problem could be solved.

Belatedly, Anakin also realized this little detail and they switched closets. This was not working.


	3. Haphazardness

"How exactly do you _breathe _in these things?" Anakin gasped, struggling to finish putting on the dress.

Padme rolled her eyes, delving her whole self into the comfy organic fibers of her husband's Jedi attire. But when she heard the definite sound of ripping fabric, she shivered involuntarily, despite the fact that the dress was of inexpensive material. Nonetheless, her temporarily female husband (oh, what a sincerely disturbing thought) was in dire need of assistance.

"Well, Anakin. Now you know how it feels in the life of a politician. You may like to gape at my clothes and exclaim at the 'beautiful garments,' but it comes at a heavy price!"

Adjusting the collar, she continued in that deep, Anakin-voice, "The only reason you know how to put a bra on, my inexperienced Jedi Protector, is because you've seen it taken off. But you've never had to undress elaborately complicated buttons and hidden seams."

He gave her a smile that might have tried to resemble his usual grin - on her face. It didn't look quite right. "Yes, but that's why we're Jedi. We lack material possessions all but our lightsabers. And when it's needed, ships. Besides, not all politicians dress like you do. I cringe at the thought of Senator Orn Free Taa in one of your royal ensembles."

At that, Padme couldn't keep herself from laughing just the slightest bit. She reverted back to mock-somber. "That's besides the point. Are you sure that the Archives will give us any answers?"

Straightening the creases over "his" belly, Anakin said, "According to Master Nu, if it's not in the Archives, it does not exist. But really," he added, sensing his wife's glare, "they must have some sort of information. If not. . . well, they'll have something. I'm sure of it."

"I can only hope you're right Anakin," sighed Padme. The pair climbed into the Jedi Starfighter stationed outside and took off for the Jedi Temple.

* * *

"This is where the fun begins."

The hood of the Starfighter inclined backwards, allowing Padme to exit and then help her pregnant husband from his seat. Why did this have to happen _before _the baby had come? It was so inconvenient, especially if they were still to be in each other's bodies by the time – well, it was better that she didn't think like that. Surely, this would all be resolved and without fuss. Or at least, that's what she kept telling herself.

Despite the lack of speed in Anakin's step, he led the way to the familiar doors of the Jedi Temple. Once inside, they were greeted by emptiness. Most of the Masters had retired for the night already, and the Padawans and younglings had departed far earlier. The two were able to scurry all the way down to the Archives, completely unseen. The wide, arched stone entrance of the Archives was engraved in ancient symbols that depicted a phrase of the Jedi code: _There is no ignorance; there is knowledge._

Open-mouthed, Padmé fingered the carvings lightly, feeling like the whole experience of body switching might not be so bad. _Perhaps, _she thought, _it might bring us closer together. _The clear, elegant voice of Jocasta Nu prompted her out of her musings.

"Master Skywalker, Senator Amidala. What brings you at this late hour?" The serene expression on her face indicated worry. Her eyebrows were arched infinitesimally.

"Uh...well...uh...we were-" Anakin stammered with Padme's voice.

He was making her look like a fool.

"I was just showing Ana- the Senator around the Archives. She was curious to read up on some of the history, right _Senator Amidala_?" Padmé intervened.

With a slight purse to her lips, Jocasta answered calmly, "That's fine, then. If you have need of assistance. . . I will be in the periodicals. Goodnight, Master Skywalker, Senator Amidala."

Master Nu's tan skirts ruffled ever-so-slightly behind her as she scurried back to her magazine, which contained quite an interesting description of a scandal involving her favorite holo-star. Once she was out of ear-shot, the couple were cautious to speak to each other.

With wide eyes and a tempered breath, Anakin turned back to his wife, shout-whispering. "She knows! I know she knows! Oh, Force! What are we going to do?"

"Nonsense," she admonished, "if Master Nu had known, she would have said something."

"You don't know Jocasta Nu, Padme; when I was thirteen, I told her that I had a crush on you and she said she wouldn't tell. Guess what? The next day, Obi-Wan gave me a huge lecture on the Jedi Code forbidding attachments, as well as, that 'jubba birds and bees' talk!"

Padme rolled her eyes. "Anakin, when I was thirteen, I got the same talk - minus the Jedi Code, of course. Now hurry up, who know how long we might be stuck like this?"

* * *

Over two hours had passed, and not even the most ancient of the Jedi Holocrons had anything to say about body-switching. Dawn was approaching fast, and they became more frantic with their search.

Padme felt it was time to voice her concerns - the same thought that encircled both of their minds.

"What if - what if we stay like this forever? What if it can't be reversed?" She cast aside a holobook carelessly.

Silence answered her. That, and the sound of whimpering. "But-but-but. . ." her husband blubbered, "I can't stay a WOMAN!"

"Obviously," she sighed. "Honestly, I think that we _should _ask for some assistance. We can only do so much on our own, and we don't have to reveal our -erm- relationship. Obi-Wan is such a close friend to both of us, and I'm absolutely confident that he will stay discreet."

Anakin bit his temporary lip quietly. He was taking a moment of consideration, weighing his pros, cons and emotions. Finally, he replied, "Fine. I guess that's really all we have left, isn't it? Damn. . . will you ask him then? I refuse to do it - it'll only give him another reason to humiliate me."

"I thought Jedi couldn't be humiliated."

"Oh, no. According to Master Yoda? Never."

Not another word was spoken as the aggrieved spouses tidied their monstrous mess of holobooks, holocrons, and numerous other reading materials. It was in complete and utter silence that they went back to Anakin's Jedi starfighter, and then onto Padmé's apartment. As she was collapsing on the couch from stress and exhaustion, the former Queen then realized that she would have to return in a couple of hours and face Obi-Wan. The thought very well made her want to scream with desperation, but the need for sleep was slowly pushing any coherent thought from her head. She would deal with it later, whether Anakin liked it or not.


End file.
